A communication session in a wireless network typically involves a local station communicating with a remote station via a communication link. The communication link may include a wireless connection between the local station and an access point. For various reasons, the quality of the wireless connection between the access point and the local station may deteriorate. This may be due to overloading of the access point, mobility of the station, interference, etc. In order to preserve the established communication link, the local station may reassociate the wireless connection with another access point. When the communication session involves delay intolerant transmissions, e.g., voice or video, various quality of resource (QoS) challenges are presented for a successful and efficient reassociation of the wireless connection.
Contemplated techniques for providing fast transitioning (FT) involve an authentication procedure between a station and one or more access points. The authentication procedure may allow the station to determine which access points in the area are candidates for reassociation. This may include derivation of shared keys between the station and the reassociation candidates. Once this authentication has been established, the station may choose an access point to reassociate the wireless connection and commence with a resource negotiation.
The resource negotiation may take place through a number of integrity checked messages (through use of the shared keys) exchanged between the access point and the station. The resource negotiation may either take place prior to, or simultaneously with, a reassociation procedure. The station may request, through the resource negotiation, sufficient resources to be allocated to the station so that QoS levels of the wireless connection are maintained. If the access point has the resources to allocate it will do so and the reassociation procedure may progress. If the resource negotiation fails, the station may not be able to reassociate with the access point and may need to restart the procedure with another access point. This delay may compromise the station's ability to provide a high-QoS level wireless connection.